Gate Access with No BP
 

Hi all! My name says it all, but I've been lurking for a couple of years and just recently decided to join the community (and hopefully post a few helpful responses every once and a while). Anyways, this is my first new thread and I'm hoping someone can help out here... I searched and searched but couldn't find the info I'm looking for.

Is it possible to get access to the gates (specifically at LAX or SFO) when you do not have a flight that day? It'd be nice to wait for Mrs. UALurkerORD's flight at the RCC rather than in a parking lot. I read a post some time ago regarding someone who says they have been able to do that in the past by requesting a DM card. There's no medical or other potentially "serious" reason why I have to meet her at the gate... just want to be more comfortable than sitting in a car.

So, if it's possible... how do I go about getting a DM card or other clearance mechanism to get to the boarding area? Of course, I have no desire to lie, cheat or steal my way in.

Thanks!

I'd be very surprised if they'd allow it.

When I checked my wife and toddler daughter in at SFO on Jan 8, I asked if I could get a pass to help them through security and to the gate. I was told that post-underwear bomber, that isn't allowed.

Maybe things would be different for you (their flight was on DL) but I wouldn't be optimistic, because it seemed to be an airport-wide or TSA policy, not an airline one.

Almost impossible in your case. Easy if you are escorting a child/teenager/disabled adult, not allowed if you just want to meet someone.

In November at SEA, watched a couple next to me at the check-in counter be denied when making this request. Husband just wanted to "walk his wife" to the gate. They argued a while with the agent at the check-in counter, and then gave up and left. I spoke w/ agent about it who said it was not allowed in this case. The couple then went to the TSA agent at the security check point and he assured them it would be no problem and made some pretty rude remarks about the UA agent. Couple then headed back to the counter and I went to my gate. No idea what finally happened.

Are you a member of the RCC? Is your wife a member?

If you want access in the secure area (ie the gate area and the RCC inside security):

1) Purchase a fully refundable fare for the last flight of the day.
2) Check in and print a boarding pass.
3) Use said boarding pass to enter security.
4) At the RCC, request that they un-check you in and refund the ticket.

Alternatively:
1) You could check-in on-line, and un-check yourself in online.
2) You can use ual.com (I think) or call reservations (once you've un-checked in) to request a refund.
3) You can buy a non-refundable fare for this and cancel using the 24 hour grace period (should work in theory).

I'm currently at the gate C16 RCC at ORD and just went and asked them if anything has changed with respect to the policy of access to the RCC for non-traveling RCC Members since the last bombing attempt and she said no. So once again here is the policy as found under United's internal computer system. Any agent can pull up the policy which is found under S*RCC/ADMIT

"Customers must have a declared business purpose to gain access to the Red Carpet Club. A business purpose may be defined as a business meeting at the Red Carpet Club."

Note it says "may be defined" as a business meeting at the RCC, "not must be".

Now with that said just wanting to go out and sit around and wait does not qualify...but who is to say what and why you are meeting someone. It's pretty grey. I have done this for business about 7 times last year and I was challenged almost every time. I carry a print out of S*RCC/ADMIT just because of this. The only time I was denied I had to buy a refundable ticket and then checked in with the person who had refused me. I don't think she was not having a happy day because I think I could see steam coming off the top of her head. And by the way it's not a United policy it comes from the TSA. There is also a reference to a prior 24 hour period but that is really no longer relevant as the TSA database check is now almost instantaneous according to the United people I have checked with.

Thanks for the helpful info!
 

Thanks all! That's some great information (I definitley forgot about how things may have changed since the underwear bomber). I think I'll roll the dice and try the business meeting appoach first. The fully refundable ticket is a great idea as well, but I'm sure United would frown upon messing around with their inventory.:D

If I choose to do this, and I do it rarely, I like to pick a flight that is 9's across the board for that reason.

Also, I don't refund it in the RCC; I think that's low class. I go online and fo it, or if I have to call, I do so after I have left the secure area.

I think doing it on a regular basis is chutzpah . . .

Doing it to gain access that would otherwise be denied (e.g. F tix to access the IFL) is definitely chutzpah. Doing it to get around the fact that the TSA are preventing you from otherwise using a service that you've paid for is completely reasonable to me.

Fortunately most carriers with lounges have explicitly defined programs and documented them so that the agents at the counter should be issuing the passes without any trouble. But it is always good to know that there are backup plans possible.

It is also worth noting that, because of the way such transactions can extend the life of a balance for free on an otherwise non-free credit card, doing it frequently may raise the ire of someone at your CC companies.

You can also access the gate area if you are greeting a returning military family member from a combat zone deployment. Not sure how to get that type of permission, check with the air carrier.

ROTFL.

Agreed.

BTW, for a while late last year in COS, the TSA was asking people in the sterile area for their BP and ID. So before you get your ticket refunded, be sure to print an extra BP, and return that to the RCC instead of the original that has the TSO's mark on it.

Tickets that have free time/date changes -- even if cancellation of the ticket comes with a penalty (i.e., "non-refundable" ticket) -- also works to get a boarding pass to get into the departing gates area. Just cancel the check-in before the flight departs, and there shouldn't be any problem.

Some airlines in which I had lounge membership were not being routinely helpful when I wanted to go to the departing gate areas -- they wanted a conference room to be booked or something else -- so this penalty-free changeable ticket check-in method got around that nonsense just fine.

Was this at the gate area, or were TSOs wandering around pestering random people?

I dont think they frown on it, weve done it before. when I am traveling alone with kids, it depends on who the gate agent is. sometimes they will give DH a gate pass and we all go hang out in RCC, other times not. on the rare occasion that they give him a hard time ("for security reasons") he has purchased a full fare refundable ticket (last one out for the night) and then accompanied me past security and helped me til the gate. Then on his way out, he stops in RCC and has them void the ticket. I think if a passenger was doing it on a weekly basis, they might catch on and get pissed off, but we are talking 2-3x/ yr, and we are both 1P...so no one has ever given us a hard time.

Telling them you want to accompany her to the gate, unless she is handicapped or otherwise impaired, IMO and IME, will not get u very far.